Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Gabe Newell in a white shirt
Action Games Valve's Gabe Newell still plays at least one game of Dota 2 "every day" in his 60s
Mortal Kombat 2
Action Movies Mortal Kombat 2 producer launches a bizarre attack over negative reviews despite its 74% Rotten Tomatoes score
Karl Urban as Johnny Cage is ready to fight in the Mortal Kombat 2 trailer
Action Movies Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon says his feedback on a Johnny Cage sequel fight was "dead wrong"
andy serkis
Fantasy Movies Andy Serkis says he doesn't see a difference between game and movie acting: "Hollywood is using video game engines"
A Rebel soldier on Endor in Star Wars Battlefront
FPS Games Somehow, EA's Battlefront is still the best-selling Star Wars game of all time
Four pictures of games from our selection of the best Switch 2 games list, showing Donkey Kong, Cloud from Final Fantasy, Mario and Luigi, and three starter Pokemon.
Games The 20 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
Armored tank warrior walking in cathedral
Action Games Meet the dev who quit Rockstar Games during GTA 6 fever to make a single-player MMO-like
An angry Vergil in Devil May Cry season 2
Animated Shows Devil May Cry showrunner thinks most video game movie announcements "won't come to fruition" or will be "cringe"
The best NES games: a screenshot of collection of NES games and a Nintendo console.
Games The 10 best NES games of all time
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai says it would be "impossible" to grant every fan request
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima put Low Roar in the Death Stranding games because gamers need more culture
Best Mario games
Super Mario The 15 best Mario games of all time
N64
Games The 25 best N64 games of all time
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Decades ago, Steam god Gabe Newell revealed that he was way better at Super Mario 64 than Half-Life
Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Animated Movies A new Nintendo animated movie is seemingly releasing in 2028, and signs point to the rumored Donkey Kong spin-off
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Platforming Games
  3. Donkey Kong

The Rock hasn't cared about a single Donkey Kong game in 44 years because "none of them matter" – it's all about the arcade original that put Nintendo on the map

News
By Dustin Bailey published 3 October 2025

Dwayne Johnson doesn't care about Super Nintendo classics like Donkey Kong Country or GOTY 2025 candidates like Donkey Kong Bananza

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Donkey Kong Bananza DK screaming as the purple rock comes to life
(Image credit: Nintendo)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson might not be actively wrestling these days, but that doesn't mean he's not still an expert at getting heat even when cutting micro-sized promos. The Hollywood star has just revealed two of his favorite video games of all time, and while one is probably about what you'd expect, the other is sure to annoy those who grew up with Donkey Kong Country and are now clamoring for Donkey Kong Bananza's GOTY award.

During the promotional tour for The Smashing Machine, Johnson's new film, IGN asked him about his favorite video game of all time. "Oh, man," Johnson says after a moment's consideration. "I gotta go with Madden, if it's at home." A perfectly acceptable answer for somebody whose primary hobby isn't gaming.

"Stand up?" Johnson continues, thinking back to the arcades of his own youth. "Donkey Kong." A 1981 arcade classic, and the title that established Nintendo's legacy as a video game publisher. Another fine choice.

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong Bananza devs want to make sure Mario and DK's games feel different
  • Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong looking angry with his arms raised Donkey Kong Bananza producer says the game's positive reception helps him "communicate the potential for that character"
  • Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong Bananza devs admit the blatantly OP elephant transformation "probably went too far," but "it's fun"

Turns out The Smashing Machine star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson only recognizes the original Donkey Kong game: pic.twitter.com/lNIxssRw9IOctober 2, 2025

But here's the cheap heat for Nintendo fans: Johnson adds that he hasn't played any other Donkey Kong games because "none of them matter." Donkey Kong Country? DK64? Diddy Kong Racing? Donkey Kong Banza? That's right – you can turn those all sideways and shove them straight up your candy ass.

Rocky delivers that line with a smile, so he's certainly not entirely serious – but equally, I'm guessing he probably genuinely does not care about whatever your favorite Donkey Kong game is. That's okay, Dawyne. Cena was always better anyway.

There's a reason Bananza tops our list of the best Switch 2 games.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs want to make sure Mario and DK's games feel different
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong looking angry with his arms raised
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza producer says the game's positive reception helps him "communicate the potential for that character"
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs admit the blatantly OP elephant transformation "probably went too far," but "it's fun"
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza DK and Pauline looking intrigued
Donkey Kong We asked Nintendo point-blank about Donkey Kong Bananza's biggest mystery: They wouldn't tell us who Pauline really is
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza with Pauline on his shoulder
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza programmer suggests using the Switch 2 platformer as destructive meditation
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza screenshot of Donkey Kong punching through the landscape with pieces of banana flying through the air
Donkey Kong With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo learned "it is more fun to destroy that which is beautiful"
 
 
Latest in Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Nintendo court document reveal shows Shigeru Miyamoto saw Donkey Kong as a man in a gorilla suit
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza with Pauline on his shoulder
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza programmer suggests using the Switch 2 platformer as destructive meditation
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong looking angry with his arms raised
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza producer says the game's positive reception helps him "communicate the potential for that character"
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs admit the blatantly OP elephant transformation "probably went too far," but "it's fun"
 
 
Donkey Kong punching through rocks in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza devs want to make sure Mario and DK's games feel different
 
 
DK and Pauline stare at an explosion of gold in Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong "Some ideas from Donkey Kong Bananza" may inform Nintendo's next big project, producer says
 
 
Latest in News
Link faces Midna in a screenshot from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess finally gets a fanmade PC port
 
 
Mario in a swimsuit in Super Mario Odyssey.
Games Nintendo boss reportedly wants to make up for Switch 2 price increase with a stronger line-up of games
 
 
Marcus being pinned to a wall by a Locust Drone during the Gears of War: E-Day trailer.
Gears of War Gears of War: E-Day is officially sponsoring WWE Triplemania, potentially hinting at a September release date window
 
 
Dragon Quest concept art
Dragon Quest As Dragon Quest 12 continues to slumber, Yuji Horii reveals a 40th anniversary stream with news on the "next game"
 
 
The Elder Scrolls After 14 years since reveal, the Morrowind remake made in Skyrim gets another update and sounds close to completion
 
 
A blue-skinned girl in a hat and oversized clothes jetskis around a few small islands with the blue sky shining above, in a screenshot from Bobo Bay.
Simulation Games This indie game with near perfect Steam reviews is the Sonic Adventure follow-up I've been waiting 26 years for
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys season 5
    1
    The Boys fans think season 5's POV episode reveals the order in which major Supes will die
  2. 2
    The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess finally gets a fan-made PC port, and I can't wait to see what modders do with the GameCube classic
  3. 3
    10 years later, Uncharted 4 remains the perfect antidote to overly bleak and serious adventuring
  4. 4
    Nintendo boss reportedly wants to make up for Switch 2 price increase with a stronger line-up of games
  5. 5
    "My job is to trick you": Obsession's Curry Barker on finding his own way to frighten horror fans and leaning into the "modern jumpscare"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...